The Flying Dutchman sails into Detroit for MOT's 43rd season

When the Michigan Opera Theatre opened its 43rd season with Wagner’s ghostly drama, “The Flying Dutchman,” the German opera didn’t exactly motivate opera patrons to come running to the Detroit Opera House.

Many opera fans prefer Italian works such as “La Traviata,” coming to MOT in November. But those patrons missed out on a superb performance.

“The Flying Dutchman” is a vocally challenging opera – although soprano Lori Phillips, who plays Senta, and bass-baritone Thomas Gazheli, The Dutchman, made it seem like a walk in the park on opening night of this romantic opera.

Phillips’ dramatic vibrato and incredible range are the ear candy of the second and third acts. The precision and beauty of Gazheli’s baritone was also a thrill – every lyric was absolutely pitch perfect and expressive.

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“The Flying Dutchman” is an extremely emotional work that requires the performers to use a great deal of physical miming and reacting – there is a lot of movement and translation of feelings and dialogue that is purely dependent upon physicality. For example, we see Senta in the first act, but we only see her reacting to a picture of The Dutchman and she does so without ever uttering a word or phrase or lyric. She tells the audience everything they need to know about her feelings for this mysterious man through her body. Phillips is able to express Senta’s compassion and sympathy for him without opening her mouth. It truly is a wonderful performance by the singer.

Kristopher Irmiter alternates the role of The Dutchman with Gazheli and Elisabet Strid alternates with Phillips as Senta. American tenor John Pickle plays the role of Erik.

In addition to being vocally delightful, the visuals of “The Flying Dutchman” at MOT are magnificent.

The opera begins with a large screen showing two boats at sea – one inhabited by Daland and his men, played by Turkish bass Burak Bilgili, and the other ghostly vessel with The Dutchman who has been cursed by Satan to roam the sea for eternity. His only hope of being released from this curse is to find a loyal wife. The gorgeous scenery is augmented by Wagner’s intensely beautiful overture, which leaves you heaving for breath before the singing even begins. It is an epic musical piece of Wagner’s operatic style, using leading motifs.

Conductor Steven Mercurio does another fine job leading his 19th production with MOT.

The set for “The Flying Dutchman” has the wondrous, mythical allure associated with life at sea including large red-and-white sails. When The Dutchman comes out onto the stage for the first time, he floats in from stage left on the mobile set piece.

Opening night may not have filled the seats for “The Flying Dutchman,” but the spirit of Wagner’s powerful opera certainly did just that – the wonderful feeling or idea that love is the only thing that can save us.

The great news is that there are still four more opportunities to fill seats and experience that feeling.

FYI: “The Flying Dutchman” is playing at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23; Friday, Oct. 25; and Saturday, Oct. 26; with a matinée at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 27; at 1526 Broadway, Detroit. Tickets range from $25 to $125 with reduced prices for students and young professionals on Wednesday, Oct. 23. Call 313-237-SING or visit www.MichiganOpera.org for more information.

Samantha White is a local freelance writer. Contact her at sammie427@gmail.com.